Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-02

italian capital an event OF very minor
Importance.
AT opposite ends of the imperial city
s'frd and palaces Of two rulers, the one
Nmporal tie other spiritual, and,
strange to say, while the royal house
ho'd hardly make n ripple in the whirl-
ing tumult Of Roman society, shrinking
away, rs il in fright, from the gaze Of
The world, the mere presence Of the
rope, suffering his roverscs in dignifed
silence, seems 20 surround the Na;icln
with n halo Of splendor The Queen,
WHO is dcvout Catholic, is SAID to feel
III AZ ease in the specious palace of the
Quirinal, which once belonged 10 the
Pontiils and whore the memory OF these
fmmer tenants forces itself upon Der as
a constant rcproach.
Curiously enough the weather has an
immediate effect on the temper OF the
young monarch, who1e ne YES, it would
seem, are soIt Of barometer, and, in
the presence Of proper atmospheric
conditions. Humbeit VII quito throw
of his melancholy and become for the
moment tie gaycst OF the gay, indulg-
iip, IN fact, in style Of conycrse ion
Which is not, to say the least, particu-
Larry majestic. For oYamole, on these
occasions be will tell stories OF such al
astonishing character as 10 throw com
plctCly in the shade the various per
fCrmances Of the Count Of Mont
CT.sto or The Baron Nunchausen, and
be docs all this with so tcIious an air
that bis hearers find themselves IN n
most ridiculous and uncomfortable posi-
ton.
One day. after listening patiently to
cGtaIu court wit, who had told q most
eHtldyagant yam made out OF whole
cloth, the King remarked quietly: 81
can easily believe that story, bee use /
have bad n more clriO IS experience
myself. On one OCCASION ! bad been
out huntin@ AL day long aud was re-
turning home empty-handcd and very
much Disguised at my bad luck, when
thrush flew up within range Of my
gun, and thinking it better than no
thing blazed away at it, and, h my
great establishment, brought down not
only the thrush, but a 6ood-sized hawk
! he explanation is very simple, Tor.
you see. Just at the moment wren !
pulled the trigger, this hawk, which
was also ont hunting, bad swOop~ /
down UIon the thrush, and in cOnse
qucnce the one shot had struck both
bids. But that was not all. The
report Of my gun had scared up a
rabbit, and as luck would haze it, the
hawk fell directly on bonuie's back,
and, being only wounded, Immediately
attacked the poor beast SO ticrcely that
he, suffering under the cruel claws.
began to dig up the earth frantical'y
with his paws, and presently uncovered
two immense truilies So you see,
with a single shot, ] bagged a fine
hawk TO stun, thrush to broil, nice
fat rabbit TO stew, and two splendid
tufios for the seasoning
! he King is also fond of telling how.
in the CAM aigns Of 1866, he had three
buttons shot from Lis coat by rifle
balls. and how he once owned a hor
which could jump across ditch more
tran thirty feet wide and, again, how
when q boy his gymnasiic teacher
taught him to climb over wall one
hundred feet high without using rope
or anything of the solt. Whenever
the KIrg sees fit to amuse himself in
this way the courtiers are on pias and
needles, for he requires each OF them
10 listen to whatever he may sly with
the utmost seriousness.
Another habit which often causes an
noyance and en- harrassmeIt is the
Klng's way of taking fancy to any
little novelty which he may see in the
hands Of oAe of bis courtieTs. II may
10 q Jewel set in some curiods way, or a
cane made Of rare wood. or perhaps a
fantastic watch. SO matter what it is
or who is the owner, his Majesty will
slow such an intense desire to possess
ii that finally the object is offered to
him, and, needless to add, it is always
replaced by present o. double or tri-
pie the value.
On the whole King Humbert repre-
eents fairly well the typical constitu-
tional ruler of to-day. He keeps Ii a.
self most sclnpulously within the
bounds Of his allo,,ed sphere. preserves
the most complete neutrality i'll the
midst OF the various conflicting and dis
cordant parties which Surround hi II,
and in n wood understands to perlec-
ton the difficult art OF reigning without |
ruling.
One day, when a warm conversation
was going on in his presence as to the |
best tolR of monarchy, he expressed |
himself as follows: Gentlemen, the |
best Of all monarchies is the one where |
the king Ia felt everywhere without |
being observed"
And the best form of republic ?
askoD certain ambassador.
cit is that one" was the reply, |
" whore, as IN America, the genius OF |
the people has so deeply penetrated |
evtly fibre Of the social fabric that no
piece remeius for a king"